Monkee-in’ Around

We’ve had a Christmas party planned with a few of our friends for quite a while and it’s been one of those events on your calendar that you really look forward to.  And I don’t think any of us can say that we were disappointed.  Instead of having a meal we decided to all make a bunch of appetizers and hang out, nothing was really planned beyond the food because we always find ways of keeping each other entertained.  And this night was no different.  Sonya brought the game Quelf and Jamie and I were the only couple who had yet to play and what a riot!!  The object of the game was…is there an object?…to roll the dice, move your piece and whatever color you landed on was the card pile you needed to draw from.  Each card color represented an activity that either you did alone, with the group or had someone else do.  Ya know, I think the pictures may explain it better…

Sonya was first to go and she had to spend the rest of the game with  box top snuggled close.

Don was next and he had to act like a dog while Matt gave out commands… “Fetch”… “Play dead”…

“How am I supposed to do that?”He had to sing and dance to a disco song…He chose the “YMCA”… “it’s fun to stay at the S-P-C-A!”  (Only Matt!)

I had to find a bowl and beat the bowl with a spoon while shouting out a phrase, something about Bobby???  And yes, the first time you feel a little goofy, after that you just go with the flow.  (Somehow Jamie ended up with all the dumb cards and wasn’t much of a participant…he got the card that said, “Make up a story about fingernail clippings, burnt sausage and something else, but you must use 3 different languages”…right.  Guess that’s why Mr. Lugnut spent most of his time back at “go”.)

Our darling K-K had to perform a magic trick…if anyone clapped she got to move ahead 2 spaces for each person that clapped…only one person clapped…her husband, Matt.

Matt gave us a lovely rendition of his rapping…I in turn got wrapped myself…

K-K had to get up, point out the window saying something about moisture, go make her face wet, come back to the table and ask why no one else had gotten wet…we all about died laughing at this point…unfortunately you can’t see the moisture on her face too well.  But I think my favorite K-K card of the night was the blue card she drew.  Before asking any question she needed to raise her hand and shout out, “I feel a question coming on!”…for the remainder of the game!  K-K, that saying will go down in history for the Monkee’s.

This picture is only making it to the blog because my friends would disown me for humiliating them and not including myself in here.  My task, stick your thumbs in your mouth and flap your hands against your shoulders until your next turn…do you know how TOUGH this really is???  It was the longest turn EVER!!

Matt also ice skated for us and had to remove an article of clothing and twirl it around his head while singing us yet another song.

Each player had to pick a character to move around the board.  I believe Matt was the “biscuit farmer”…better known as “limp biscuit”.

Our boys and their characters…

“The Dude”, but I called him “Danny”, from the movie Grease.

The sexy and infamous, Mr. Lugnut.

And the “Limp Biscuit”… “I want it to look like I’m eating him.”

I’m sure you were all wondering why they were wearing the goofy hats…which may look goofy on them, but I must say, look fabulous on me, so don’t knock ‘em!  Matt showed up in the fur “mad bomber” above and since he has such a love for hats, I had a few more for him to try on…

…we call this, “The Leprechaun”…

…instead of boots with the fur, it’s hats with the fur…I think he liked it, it stayed on the rest of the night.

And it wouldn’t be complete without the Stoltzfus brothers…Amos and Jamous.

Moving on to the group photo’s which I believe took half a century because I’m still trying to figure out how to work the new camera and flash…one of these days these pictures will look high quality, for now, everyone was just ready to go home.

Our cruising buddies!Our biking buddies!

Well these are the crazies that make up my friends and I wouldn’t want it any other way cause we have some of the greatest friends a couple could ask for!!  Our next adventure together is already in the works and I can’t wait!!!

True Kindness Does Still Exist!

 

Last week we were scheduled to out for dinner with some good friends of ours and because some other plans came up that were way more important than us, they bailed on us…I’m just pickin’ chicken, don’t fry!!  No, in all seriousness, it worked out OK because now I have this story to tell and we ended up having a nice evening with my parents.  Soon after leaving my parents house that evening we had stopped at Sheetz to fill up the gas tank.  I decided to go inside and get something warm to drink as it was starting to snow and it was C.O.L.D. out!!  While standing there impatiently reading all the magazine covers in the rack waiting for my delightfully hot latte, an older gentleman tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a gigantean bouquet of long stem roses!!  My face probably said it all because my brows were furrowed deeper than a groundhog hole and I hesitated before actually taking them.  I wanted to know what the catch was.  He said, “Ma’am, these are for you.  Happy Birthday!”  In which I took them and muttered a quick and confused, “Thanks?”  As it turns out he is a trucker for a wholesale florist and noticed that every week they were throwing away all these beautiful bouquets of roses that he thought still had some life in them.  So each week he collects them and drives around to all the Sheetz in the area and hands them out to the women there.  As I came walking up to the car with a big grin on my face eagerly anticipating Jamie’s response, he hit the home run for me.  “What did you get yourself into now?”  HAHAHA!!  I just laughed and said, “I’ll tell you in the car.”  And what a story it was!  Isn’t it nice to know that there are still people out there who do random acts of kindness?

 

We had already planned to get together with our friends again on Saturday and I couldn’t resist telling my story and showing off my roses…which are still looking nice!  The men all wanted to know exactly what Sheetz we were at, the time we were there and what night it was!!  FYI, I think it would look a little suspicious if you started asking for them. 

Winter Adventures of 2011

 

Winter started off with a “bang” at the buffalo farm this year.  We hosted our first New Years party with the Tate’s…ya know, the “Not New Years Eve New Years Party” we’ve been talking about.  Yep, we got serious about our party and Kristen showed up with the perfect ball for us to drop at midnight…a $5 disco ball from Target…what a find!  We should have been better prepared because 10 minutes before our main attraction was to take place we were all scrambling trying to get things ready for the 10 second countdown.  (I didn’t realize this until now, but notice the clock in the background…great work, Ben!  Unfortunately I didn’t give Ben enough time to learn the ropes on my new camera…next year, Ben, we’ll be better prepared.)

 

First we needed a long section of rope to lower our ball and then we were fumbling around with the iPod to set our countdown…and of course the screen went blank on us about 4 seconds before midnight…it was truly an event to say the least!  We were all quite pleased with our...

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“Happy New Year!!!!”

 

“Check out this cool thing we got hanging in our living room now…we can really put on a party now!”  We decided that next year we’ll have something rigged up that won’t require someone standing on the other end of the rope to make our ball drop AND since we made our own night New Year’s Eve, we might as well have our midnight on our own time too…then the Tate’s won’t be so tired on the drive home.

 

This past week brought about some delightful snow…I say that because I didn’t have to work that night, if I had, I probably wouldn’t be blogging about it, let alone calling it delightful.  But the next morning found me throwing on my boots and a heavy coat…I’m sure looking like I should belong with the local hobo’s in the train yard…do we even have one of those?  But there were pictures to take and as it doesn’t snow in the summer when it’s hot and I wasn’t into cold feet, this was the look a chose.

Of course my hubby couldn’t wait to put the snow plow on the front of the truck.  He certainly takes good care of me…the driveway was plowed, my car was cleaned off and if I ever get into any trouble on the road, he’s always willing to come help me out.  He also went to the neighbors and plowed their driveway since her husband was out of town and she has a new baby to take care…between you and me, even if the husband would have been home, Jamie would have plowed the driveway…he’s just that kinda guy.

 

This past weekend also had us busy as my parents are now moved into a new home.  I use the word moved loosely here…although most of their stuff is in the new home, it certainly doesn’t all have a “home” just yet.  But as usual my family knows how to make a move happen and in true Smucker form, we had the old place pretty well picked clean by the end of the day on Saturday.  They have a beautiful new home and we all agreed that this place really does feel like home to us…the old place worked for the time being but they both deserved a little extra space especially since the business office also shares space in their home.  And as much as we adults felt at home, the kids felt it even more I think.  They finally have space to play and run at Grammy Mucker’s house…Rachel’s way of saying Smucker.

I can’t take credit for the picture above, our good friend Phil the Bill (remember, Papa Smurf has nicknames for everyone), was also over to help with the moving.  He found my new camera and for at least a half hour he was useless as his mind was, understandably so, completely wrapped around my camera.  It has that effect on you.

 

Have I mentioned that the kids like the new place yet?  There is a space upstairs off the loft that has a little people door and is now the home for all the kids toys…it didn’t take Isaac long to show me the little people door, he thought that was just cool.  I agree!  He was also all about helping out when he found out they were getting the “big truck” to move some of the bigger furniture.  He was in charge of pushing the button to make the lift go up and down…it was quite comical to watch, he was VERY serious about his job AND by Saturday night, he was one tired little boy and was even admitting he was tired…I think that’s a first.

Well that about wraps up our winter adventures for 2011 so far.  It’s been a very busy year for us and January isn’t over yet so keep checking back for the continuing adventures of Me and Him!

I can’t end this post without remembering someone very dear and special to Jamie.  He was unable to help with the moving on Friday and Saturday because he decided to travel up north to see his Cookie Gram and say his goodbye.  She passed away peacefully on Saturday evening and I’m so thankful that Jamie made the trip up to be with his family and say his last goodbye.  She was a special person and will be greatly missed.  Here was part of Jamie’s status on Facebook recently, I thought it was well put…

“Here is to you Cookie Gram.  I’ll be seeing you at some point just keep the cookies and pancakes coming.  Love ya!”

 

Isn’t it great to know that one day we will be reunited with our loved one’s in Heaven?!  What a comfort to know that she’s in a better place…no more pain, no more sorrow…just a beautiful eternity with her Heavenly Father.  I’m so thankful for the impact she had on Jamie’s life, may you be richly rewarded, Cookie Gram.